Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-11-01
CHAPTER XI.

i0ri!yG whom she considered either insipid,
1r heartle99; Whilo sho looked upon all IA
moro or less selfish.
Being girl OF quick perceptions, she gen.
orally managed 20 form tolorably correct
| opinion Of q mans character during the first
| fow interviews with hun.
She was woman OF strong physique
strong win and strong intellect. An only
child and the owner of enormous property
she was tho target for tho ilattcry and sci
| ishaim3 Of an hundred designng advent
| arcrs. Many Of her admirers wero sincere
u their devotion, however, for her dispo
| sition and mental ondowmcnt9 wore not ono
| whit Inferior 10 her physical and pScuniary
attractions But she never vet had seen
my one who had inspired her with any thing
| like deep interest; and she was too sin.
ccrc, and possessed far too much individ-
ualiiy Of character, to desire match for
mere honor or convcnionco'e sake. II she
| ever thought Of marriage at all-and II was a
subject that rarely troubled her her future
husband Was clearly defined In her imagina.
ton % q man whom she could love, respect
and, perhap1, fear,
She, too, had been struck with the sad
ness and fine expression of Fairfax 8
countcnanco on that evcntful night at the
Marchoncss'.
When the man was under the influence Of
any unusual or thrilling excitement, as he
was during that evening, his entire manner
was strikingly courteous, refined and digni-
fed. He never appeared TO better ad-
vantage than when suffering pain, mental or
physical.
With woman's cagerness to solve q
mystery, she desired 20 learn his history.
She was convinced that there pds some
mystery connected with it. Why had he
been 30 disturbed at Natalio's appearancel
Then, again, he had actually oil but ''cut''
her-not Intentionally, she supposed; thus
making his action the more annoying, DO
cause of his Observation-Disclosures
At any rate, whatever the cause, her
thoughts were continually revertlng to
Fairfax, and she found herself making the
resolve to see more of him, and also to
fathom his relations with the Princess.
But fate, in the shape Of Fairfax's willy
note, had forbidden her proposed conf.
Dental little chat with Natalie upon this
evontful afternoon.
Only yesterday Lydia had written o
pleasant little note to her "fy-aw1y"
friend, Richard, inviting him to dinner the
following evening and begging him to
bring his friend, Mr.. Fairfax, If he liked /;
for whom she also inclosed note.
Cursing his fate and using some similar
associative expressions with regard to the
headstrong and obstinate Fairfax, whose
inexplicable conduct was thus Willingly
casting away so magnificent an opportunity,
Oxford sat down, grinding his teeth and
with tears Of anger in his eyes, wrote po-
lite reply to Lydia, regretting thaS Fairfax
had left for Havre the evening prevSaus-
''with the intention Of sailing this wry dGy
for America''-and that he himself was
obliged "to depart in few hours for Paris,
whence no would soon leave either for En-
gland or for Switzerland"
This turn Of affairs, while it annoyed
Lydia, only served to make her more deter.
mined, and, during her ride to Dol, she
came TO tho conclusion that, If she would
gain any Roadway in learning the history Of
this young American, she must make her
gay young countryman the objective point
Of her attack.
At Dol, Of course, she found no Aunt
Blanche, and no explanation Of that lady's
non-appoarance. Whereupon the energetic
girl set about solving this neS mystery.
Dashing off hasty telegraph message,
she babe her coachman hand it to tho OPP
orator in tho depot. That official, the mo
| ment he glanced at Lydia's signature, gave
the coachman a motto that he declared was
| intended for his mistress.
Tearing open the letter, Lydia read:
'This is simply riise to draw the Lady
Lydia out Of the way. Her friend, the Prin.
cess Natalie, has been abducted. Kindly
make known the news at Chateau Dor,
urging tho uselessness of any search for
her. The inclosed note is for Madame X"
To explain the letters having been in his
possession, the operator quietly handed
Lydia o large envelope, bearing the I'D.
dress Telegraph Operator, r. r Station,
Dol" On slip of paper inclosed therein
was the following request:
"Please hand this envelope 10 Lady Lydia
Broadacres, IL she comes TO the II. r. Sta
ton. Otherwise, hold it for further direc.
tions.n
That was all, but quite enough to en-
tighten Lydia.
Horror-struck and greatly agitated she
FASTENED back to the chateau.
Fairfax once again was successful Ho
had not planned for nothing. Ere bidding
adieu TO the steward Of the "Namovna" he
had placed in that reliable servants hand
on envelope, (which you will post from
Havrc," he added 1t bore the postnArh
Of that port, as Lydia observedl
Uncertain whether or not she ,were the
victim Of q cruel, practical Joke, the poor
girl, In on agony Of suspense, kept urging
her eoachman to speed the horses TO their
utmost Although accompanied by her
maid, usually great confdante, she reso-
lutely kept the news to herself, notwith-
standing tho anxious questions of that kind
hearted body, who perceived that her young
mistress was unusually distressed
Lydia's lips were firmly compressed, her
cheek was very pale, and determination APP
peared in every lneament of her face;
while that blue eye, hitherto so tender and
melting, now glittered with baleful glare
Of suppressed anger and distress.
The carriage actually arrived ut tho
chateau in somewhat less than two hours.
Tho storm was fast coming on, and tho
belated lovers, Dimitri and Catharine, sud-
denly aroused to tho fact Of its rapid up
proach, had also been making exertions to
gain the shelter Of the chateau ere its
breaking. They reached the gates just
ahead Of Lydia.
Tho latter, subduing her agitation, in Or
binary tones inquired Of Catherine where
her mistress was. The maid, in surprise
and sudden alarm, replied that she supposed
the Princess had been at tho chateau for
some time. Lydia Involuntary exclaimed:
THANK Godl trust 1t is so,n and began
to feel somewhat relieved. Her perturbation
might, after all, DO caused by some frightful
blundcr. She must keep tho entire affair
secret until further developments. Re
covering her self-control she quietly asked
Catharine to inform the Princess Of her ar
rival.
After what seemed to her anxiety an age,
she behold Catherine returning with
scared, white face.
'oh, my lady, she is not here, and DIM
tri says Modji is nowhere TO be found,
either. Where, o where can sho be. And
this dreadful storm coming on, too. What
shall dot Perhaps, my lady, she went to
sec you. / know she was greatly disap-
pointed when she read your note"
When Catherine made this announce
ment, Lydia's heart sank within her and
she felt obliged to yield to the horrible GER
tainty that the impudent missive had told
the truth.
Something must be done, and that quickly,
too.
"Call Madame Ky said she.
The madame entered, greatly alarmed.
Alrondv drons of rain were beginning TO